August 24, 2014

Eclectic European Offerings at ECCO on Overton Park

I only made it to the Overton Park Fresh Slices once before it closed (but I was a big fan of the Cordova Town Square outpost before its demise), but I'm glad somebody came along to utilize this great space and excellent location.

I tried ECCO on Overton Park early one rainy weeknight, but even in the inclement weather, the spacious patio was not only accessible, but seemed to be the preferred dining spot for the 5:30 p.m. crowd.

Cheese Plate

My dining companion and I decided to start our meal off by splitting the cheese plate and the charcuterie plate. The portions were generous (and should have been at $15 a pop), and if we had stopped there, I would have been full and satisfied.

The cheese plate came with 4 different cheeses, including Manchego and Drunken Goat (two of my faves), as well as fresh fruit and an olive tapenade. I wish there had been a sweet spread like a fig jam or some kind of chutney instead of the olive spread, but the quality and variety of the cheese was right on the money.

Charcuterie Plate

The charcuterie plate featured prosciutto, serrano ham, salami and bresaola, along with the same olive tapenade as the cheese plate. Here's where the meal started to fall down a little bit. The salami was gray along the edges, giving the impression that it wasn't fresh (or at least freshly cut), so the meat had a funky flavor. This appetizer would have also benefited from a nice whole grain mustard.

Vegetable Linguine in Cream Sauce

For my entree, I had the vegetable linguine in a light cream sauce. The waitress said that they make all of the pasta in house, so I knew I had to try some. The vegetables were fresh and the pasta was obviously homemade, but the noodles were overcooked and the entire dish lacked salt.

ECCO offers a decent wine list, including some great selections by the glass, and the space in the restaurant is lovely. It has a clean and modern feel, which is very different from the Fresh Slices facade. They just need to take a little more care with the food, and this could be a top-notch eatery.